Joyce, James - Epiphany

Joyce attributes to Stephen the definition of " epiphany" a narrative element that is present in all Joyce ‘s works . "By an epiphany he meant a sudden spiritual manifestation, whether in the vulgarity of speech or of gesture or in a memorable phase of the mind itself. He believed that it was for the man of letters to record these epiphanies with extreme care, seeing that they themselves are the most delicate and evanescent of moments."
Stephen Hero
An epiphany is, therefore, not an impression; on the contrary it guides a deeper insight into the truth of things.
Epiphany—This term, coined by James Joyce, designates the moment in a narrative when events, images, ideas, or any combination of these have reached critical mass and produce for the reader an explosive recognition of meaning.